Voting like its 1890? Taxpayers in Pal-Mac weary of decisions that led to ‘hand counted’ ballots

Did you know that the US originally stopped using this method in 1890?

After learning this I began wondering why voters in the Pal-Mac school district, who recently voted on the 2018 school budget, School Board candidates and a proposition for a Macedon Library tax they were placed back in time with “hand counted,” paper ballots.

In 2016, taxpayers were warned that it would probably be the last time using mechanical lever machine method in voting for our school budget.

I am aware that every year the taxpayers need to vote on a school budget without any question. Therefore, this expense to rent a voting machine(s) is budgeted every year in the school budget proposal.

So, why did we not have the electronic scanning ballot method?

Maybe, is it because the Wayne County Board of Elections (WCBOE) did not have enough of these machines for all the school districts to use on May 16th?

Maybe, it is because the Board of Elections did not budget for a new machine in 2016 to prepare for the 2017 election?

Maybe, is it because the Pal-Mac School District didn’t want to pay the cost of an electronic scanning ballot method to save the taxpayers?

Pal-Mac school taxes are one of the highest tax rates in Wayne County so; it should not be a cost factor.

Wayne County receives enough in taxes from residents to make sure the election process will run efficiently and with the most up-to-date technology to assure accuracy and reliability.

What I experienced was not efficient at the end of the official voting time for all the people that needed to tabulate all votes. Ballots had no scanner markings to make sure that all were accounted for easily tabulation and accountability.

There was no valid excuse for this voting system to be used in Pal-Mac.

Yes there must be budget cuts, but really this is where we cut costs?

This is the only true time that the people can make their voices heard.

I won’t ever understand the voting method brought to taxpayers this year in Pal-Mac.

I hope that at the 2018 School budget year that we have a better voting method in place.